By MARK REY MONTEJO
Fencer Samantha Catantan pulled off a dramatic victory in the Asia Oceania Qualification in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates to clinch a berth to the 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday, April 27.
The 22-year-old Penn State University standout threaded through the eye of the needle and squeaked past a taller rival in Sofiya Aktayeva of Kazakhstan, 15-14, to rule the women’s individual foil and become the 12th Filipino to qualify to Paris.
It didn’t come easy.
Tied at 13-all with 1:40 left in the match, Catantan called for a medical timeout after hurting her knee.
She came back and limped a bit through the crucial seconds, then completed her final touche with 55 seconds to spare.
Catantan also became the first Filipino fencer to qualify to the Olympics in 32 years, or since Walter Torres, now commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission, who competed at the 1992 Barcelona edition.
Prior to her gold-medal finish, Catantan took a first-round bye then beat Israa Al Siyabi of Oman, 15-4, in Table 8, before stunning top seed and Asian Games bronze medalist Hong Se-na in the semis, 15-3.
Catantan finished with a 3-2 record in Pool play, winning over Iranian Zahra Kargar and Bahrain’s Sumaya Albuainain with similar 5-0 scores, and India’s Ashitha Stalinra 5-3 and Aktayeva with identical 5-4 scores.
Her losses were against Uzbek Umida Ilyosova, 3-2, and C. Shinnakerdchoke of Thailand, 5-3.
Catantan joins fellow Filipino Olympic qualifiers pole vaulter EJ Obiena, rower Joanie Delgaco, boxers Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, Elreen Ando and John Febuar Ceniza, and gymnasts Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan and Levi-Jung Ruivivar.
Earlier, Noelito Jose kissed his Olympic bid goodbye after exiting in the first round of the men’s epee.
Jose bowed to fellow Southeast Asian Games tormentor Jian Tong Sito of Singapore, 13-15, in Table 16.
